“s death has, not surprisingly, dominated her later years. I ask how difficult it was to cope with Samantha”
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Figure timeline
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey is a Welsh singer, known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films – the only artist to perform more than one officially. Bassey is one of the most popular vocalists in Britain.
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entertainment · Welsh singer (born 1937) · singer · also Shirley Bassey, Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey, Bassey
Born 8 January 1937 · Q234754
154 published statements · 0 followers
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2026· 4 entries
Radio Times: 7 James Bond song maestros – from Shirley Bassey to Sam Smith – reveal their picks for best Bond song
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Public attention spiked: 7,501 Wikipedia readers in one day, 6.3× the usual 1,183, with 0 article edits.
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Bassey expressed disappointment in March 2026 that, after undergoing surgery to her hand, she would no longer be able to reply to letters from fans.
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2025· 1 entry
The Guardian: She’s got the Midas touch: Shirley Bassey songs – ranked!
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2024· 2 entries
Awarded Order of the Companions of Honour presented by Charles III (2024).
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The Guardian: Shirley Bassey to auction jewellery including diamond ring from Elton John
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2023· 3 entries
The Guardian: New year honours 2024: awards for Shirley Bassey, Mary Earps and Michael Eavis
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Awarded Knight of the Order of Saint-Charles (2023).
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Bassey was awarded The Order of Saint Charles by Prince Albert II of Monaco
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2020· 9 entries
Published video “Shirley Bassey - You Ain’t Heard Nothing Yet”.
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Released album “I Owe It All to You”.
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Published video “Shirley Bassey - Look But Don't Touch (Lyric Video)”.
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Published video “Shirley Bassey - I Was Here (Lyric Video)”.
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Published video “Shirley Bassey - I Owe It All To You (Lyric Video)”.
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Published video “Dame Shirley Bassey - I Owe It All To You (trailer)”.
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Published video “Dame Shirley Bassey Live Stream”.
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The Guardian: Gold singer: Billie Eilish v Shirley Bassey – who is more Bond?
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With the release of her most recent album, I Owe It All To You, Bassey became the first female artist to have an album in the top 40 of the UK Albums Chart in seven consecutive decades
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2019· 1 entry
The Guardian: Observer picture archive: Shirley Bassey, 16 April 1970
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2018· 1 entry
Bassey reported that she had a great-granddaughter
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2017· 1 entry
Published video “DSBofficialVEVO Live Stream”.
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2016· 1 entry
Was named as one of "the 50 greatest Welsh men and women of all time"
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2014· 3 entries
The Guardian: In praise of … Dame Shirley Bassey’s drive for vocal perfection | Hugh Muir
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Released album “Hello Like Before”.
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Published video “Dame Shirley Bassey - The Making of Hello Like Before (Extended Version)”.
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2012· 1 entry
Bassey was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork – the Beatles' Sgt
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2011· 2 entries
BBC aired the television film Shirley, based on Bassey's life and career
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Singing "Goldfinger" in tribute to John Barry
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2009· 2 entries
Released album “The Performance”.
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Published video “Making 'The Performance'”.
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2007· 1 entry
Bassey performed in Fashion Rocks in aid of The Prince's Trust at the Royal Albert Hall
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2003· 4 entries
Awarded Knight of the Legion of Honour presented by Gerard Errera (2003).
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Was ranked among the "100 Great Black Britons"
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With the release of the CD Thank You for the Years, which was another top 20 album
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To signify her popularity and importance in the culture of France
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2002· 1 entry
At the Party at the Palace, a public celebration of the Queen's Golden Jubilee
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2001· 1 entry
Was the principal artist at the Duke of Edinburgh's 80th birthday celebration
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2000· 1 entry
Awarded Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire presented by Elizabeth II (2000).
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1998· 1 entry
By her former personal assistant, who also accused Bassey of hitting her and making an ethnic slur
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1997· 4 entries
Released album “The Gold Collection”.
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With two open-air concerts, at Castle Howard and Althorp Park, and another TV special
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Released album “The Shirley Bassey Collection”.
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Released album “The Best of Shirley Bassey”.
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1996· 2 entries
Released album “20 of the Best”.
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Released album “The Show Must Go On”.
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1995· 6 entries
Released album “Goldsinger: The Best of Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “Diamonds Are Forever: Her Greatest Hits”.
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Which attracted more than 10 million viewers in the UK, and a second, broadcast in 2006
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Released album “Legendary Performer”.
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Released album “The Great Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “Shirley Bassey Sings the Movies”.
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1994· 4 entries
Released album “'S Wonderful”.
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Released album “Born to Sing”.
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Released album “Bassey: The EMI/UA Years 1959–1979”.
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Released album “Greatest Hits Collection - I Am What I Am”.
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1993· 6 entries
Released album “10,000 Voices II”.
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Released album “Diamonds are Forever - 20 More Great Songs”.
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Released album “The Collection”.
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Released album “Goldfinger - 20 Great Songs”.
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Released album “Goldfinger”.
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Released album “Shirley Bassey Sings the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber”.
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1992· 3 entries
Released album “The Magic Is You”.
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Released album “The Bond Collection - The 30th Anniversary”.
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Released album “25 Magnificent Memories of Shirley Bassey”.
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1991· 3 entries
Released album “The Definitive Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “Keep the Music Playing”.
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Released album “This is Shirley Bassey”.
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1990· 2 entries
Released album “Sassy Bassey”.
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Released album “The Love Album”.
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1989· 2 entries
Released album “La mujer”.
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Released album “I’m in the Mood for Love”.
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1988· 2 entries
Released album “Diamonds: The Best of Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “Let Me Sing and I’m Happy”.
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1987· 1 entry
But was apparently unhappy with the results so she declined to release it
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1986· 1 entry
“There's No Place Like London”
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1985· 1 entry
Samantha, age 21, was found dead in the River Avon in Bristol
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1984· 5 entries
Released album “Great Performances”.
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Released album “Tonight”.
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Released album “I Am What I Am”.
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Released album “As I Love You”.
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Released album “Shirley Bassey's Greatest Hits”.
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1983· 1 entry
Released album “Collection”.
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1982· 1 entry
Released album “All by Myself”.
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1981· 1 entry
Released album “This Is My Life”.
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1980· 1 entry
Released album “As Time Goes By”.
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1979· 6 entries
Released album “20 Golden Showstoppers”.
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Released album “What I Did For Love”.
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Bassey was married to Sergio Novak, the assistant manager of the Excelsior Hotel in Venice
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Bassey recorded the title theme song for the Bond film, Moonraker
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Released album “21 Hit Singles”.
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Released album “Feelings”.
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1978· 3 entries
Released album “Yesterdays”.
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Released album “25th Anniversary Album”.
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Bassey pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly "after shouting abuse in the street and pushing a policeman"
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1977· 3 entries
Released album “20 Golden Film Hits”.
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Released album “You Take My Heart Away”.
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Released album “20 Golden Love Songs”.
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1976· 4 entries
Released album “Thoughts of Love”.
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Released album “Love, Life and Feelings”.
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Released album “Burn My Candle”.
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Bassey starred in the six-episode Shirley Bassey show, the first of her television programmes for the BBC, followed by a second series of six episodes in 1979
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1975· 4 entries
Released album “The Shirley Bassey Collection Vol. II”.
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Released album “Good, Bad but Beautiful”.
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Released album “The Shirley Bassey Singles Album”.
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Released album “The Second Album Of The Very Best Of”.
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1974· 3 entries
Released album “The Very Best of Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “Nobody Does It Like Me”.
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Released album “The Nearness of You”.
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1973· 3 entries
Released album “Never, Never, Never”.
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Released album “The Magic Of Shirley Bassey”.
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Her sold-out concerts at New York's Carnegie Hall were recorded and released as a two-LP set, Shirley Bassey: Live at Carnegie Hall; this album reached no
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1972· 6 entries
Released album “I Capricorn”.
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Released album “’S Wonderful”.
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"For All We Know" won The Best Female Performance Of The Year at The Radio Luxembourg Awards
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Released album “Golden Prize”.
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Released album “Broadway Bassey’s Way”.
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Released album “And I Love You So”.
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1971· 2 entries
Released album “Something Else”.
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Released album “All of Me”.
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1970· 5 entries
Released the album Something, which marked a stylistic shift for her, as producer/arranger Johnny Harris built on her traditional pop roots by incorporating more contemporary material and arrangements
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Leading to one of the most successful periods of her career
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Released album “Star Des Bal Pare ’70”.
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Released album “The Best of Bassey”.
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Released album “Something”.
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1969· 5 entries
Released album “Shirley”.
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Released album “The Spectacular Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “Golden”.
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Released album “Does Anybody Miss Me”.
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Appeared in NBC's The Spring Thing, a musical television special hosted by Bobbie Gentry and Noel Harrison
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1968· 4 entries
Released album “It’s Magic”.
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Released album “Golden Hits of Shirley Bassey”.
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Released album “12 of Those Songs”.
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During a period of very high income tax and was unable to work in Britain for almost two years
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1967· 1 entry
Released album “And We Were Lovers”.
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1966· 1 entry
Released album “I’ve Got a Song for You”.
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1965· 5 entries
Released album “Shirley Stops the Shows”.
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When Finch's wife, South African actress Yolande Turner, divorced him
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Released album “Shirley Bassey Belts the Best”.
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Sang the title song for the James Bond spoof The Liquidator
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Bassey enjoyed her only Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with the title song of the James Bond film, Goldfinger
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1964· 1 entry
And divorced in 1965 in the wake of Bassey's affair with actor Peter Finch
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1963· 1 entry
Released album “Bassey Spectacular”.
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1962· 2 entries
Released album “Let's Face the Music”.
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Released album “Shirley Bassey Sings The Hit Song From Oliver Plus Other Popular Selections”.
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1961· 2 entries
Released album “Shirley Bassey”.
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The double A-side "Reach for the Stars"/"Climb Ev'ry Mountain" reached no
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1959· 3 entries
Released album “The Fabulous Shirley Bassey”.
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Became the first Welsh singer to gain a no
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Released album “The Bewitching Miss Bassey”.
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1957· 1 entry
Released album “Born to Sing the Blues”.
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1955· 1 entry
Bassey toured various theatres until she was noticed by the impresario Jack Hylton at the Astor Club in September 1955
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1953· 1 entry
Bassey signed her first professional contract, touring with the variety show Memories of Jolson, a musical based on the life of Al Jolson
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1937· 1 entry
Born 1937-01-08.
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